Closure for containers



R. w. WILSON 2,123,643

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Opt. 30, 1937 IN VE NTOR. 61401; hzhmsm,

BY gwJmagww TTORNEYS Patented July 12, 1938 2,123,643

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,123,643 CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Ralph W.WilsomNew York, N. Y. Application October 80, I93I, Seri al No. 171,832Claims. (Cl. 221-62) This invention relates to closures for containersclosure, the breast of the can being broken away; and is particularlydesigned for use on containers Figure 2 is a view in side elevation ofthe for tooth powder, talcum powder, and the like. closure shown inFigure 1, the breast of the can The provision of a satisfactory closurefor the being shown in section;

5 purpose indicated presents many difliculties Figure3is a view insection through the closure 5 which are not apparent to the layman. Thereshown in Figure 1 taken on the plane indicated quirements ofmanufacture from the standpoint by the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and lookingin the of facility in manufactureand assembly and cost direction ofthearrows; are primary considerations which render many Figure 4 is aview in transverse section through useful closures uncommercial. Therequirements the closure shown in Figure 2 and taken on the 10 of theuser in respect of eye-appeal, powder tightplane indicated by the line4-4 of Figure 2 lookness, ease of dispensing, and ease and certainty ingin the direction of the arrows;

in operation, are also primary considerations Figure 5 is a plan viewsimilar to Figure 1 but which render many inexpensive closures'unacshowing the slide moved to the right to bring the .ceptable to thepublic. dispensing openings into alignment; 15

The primary object of the present invention'is Figure 6 is a'plan viewsimilar to Figure .1 but to provide a closure which shall satisfy thereshowing the provision of orifices instead of slots; quirements of boththe manufacturer and the Figure 7 is a view in section through amodified user. In accordance with the invention the imform of closureembodying the improvements and proved closure is one which is powdertight when showing the dispensing opening in the neck shell not in use,conveniently operable by easy preson the center line thereof. sure ofthe fingers, free in dispensing, compact The breast of a container isindicated at a and attractive in appearance, and inexpensive to and forthe purposes of this disclosure may be manufacture. regarded as of metalto which is secured in ac- More specifically the improved closurecomcordance with established practice a neck shell b.

prises only two parts, namely, a neck shell and This neck shell isordinarily symmetrical in form a reciprocable slide valve by which thedispensing and provided at its dispensing end with an openopenings maybe closed and opened. The coning such as a slot b or a plurality ofopenings struction and relationship of these two parts in such as areindicated at M in Figure 6. What- 0 accordance with the improved designare such as ever form of opening may be provided it is necesto permitthe use of a slide valve of minimum sary particularly in the dispensingof tooth powlength with a dispensing opening of maximum der, forexample, that it be of relatively large area. as is highly desirable.The construction area to assure free flow. This requirement in andrelationship are further characterized by the the ordinary constructionwhere the neck shell provision of a neck shell which tends to prevent issymmetrical in form makes it necessary to pro- 5 clogging of the powderand to facilitate its free vide for a relatively extended movement ofthe flow during-dispensing. T r controlling slide valve, and, in turn,for a slide The objects and advantages indicated are obvalve ofrelatively extended dimensions and sutained generally by constructingthe neck shell perflclal area. It is this condition particularly 40 atits dispensing end with a reduced or shouldered which the presentinvention seeks to overcome. 40 segment over which the slide valve maymove The improved construction permits of the use of withoutinterference to bring the dispensing opendispensing openings ofrelatively large area with ings into registry. In the preferred form thea slide valve of relatively small dimensions. The slide valve is soconstructed as to conceal the construction and relationship of partsthus consaid stepped or shouldered portion of the neck tribute to eyeappeal, facility of operation, simshell thus preserving a pleasingeffect of symplicity and inexpensiveness. metry and balance despite thefact that the dis- Referring now particularly to Figure 3 it willpcnsing openings may not be formed symmetribe seen that a segment of theneck shell b at eally with reference to the center axis of the thedispensing end isshouldered or stepped inneck shell. wardly at M thusmaking the dispensing end of 50 These and other features of the improveddereduced area and forming a deflecting baflle withsign will bedescribed in greater detail'in conin the neck shell which prevents theclogging nection with the embodiments shown in the ac-, of powder and isconducive to free dispensing. companying drawing wherein, I In the formshown in Figure 3 the dispensing Figure 1 is a view in plan of theimproved slot b' is not disposed on the axis of the neck shell but isoffset. It is of relatively great width and superficial area as appearsfrom Figure 1.

The controlling valve for the opening I) is formed as a reciprocableslide which itself constitutes a form of cap partially enclosing the endof the neck shell. The opposite sides of the neck shell are formed withgrooves or tracks D4 in which engage heads 0', respectively, formed independing flanges c2 which are carried by the sliding cap 0. The uppersurface of the cap 0 engages the end of the neck shell intimately and ismounted in sliding relation thereto. The cap is held firmly in place andguided in its movements by the interengagement of the beads c withgrooves D4 in the neck shell.

At its opposite ends the sliding cap 0 is formed with depending flanges03 the depth of which is determined by the depth of the shoulder 123formed in the neck shell. The depending flange 03 adjacent to theshoulder is of such depth that its lower edge will just clear thehorizontal portionof the shoulder when the slide is moved to the rightas viewed in Figure 3. In contour, this flange c3 conforms to the crosssectional outline of the shouldered segment D3 of the neck shell.Similarly, the depending flange c3 at the right end of the slideconforms in contour to the portion of the neck shell with which itengages when the parts are in the relation shown in Figure 3.

The sliding cap 0 is formed with the dispensing opening 04 which issimilar in shape to the dispensing opening I) and preferably of the samedimensions.

From the description given it will be apparent that when the parts arein the relation shown in Figures 2 and 3 the opening 04 in the cap 0 isout of alignment with the opening 12' and the closure is sealed againstleakage. To improve the sealing the grooves b4 in the neck shell may beslightly out of parallelism with the end of the neck shell so that whenthe dispensing openings are moved out of alignment a slight force isexerted on the cap 0 tending to pull it down into more intimateengagement with the end of the neck shell. As viewed in Figure 3 thiseffect is obtained by spacing the grooves M at a greater distance fromthe end of the neck. shell at their left ends than at their right ends.

It will further be observed that when the parts are in the relationshown in Figures 2 and 3 the cap appears in substantially symmetricalrelation to the base of the neck shell, that is to say, its ends do notprotrude beyond the beading at the base. Thus the closure generallyspeaking appears to be symmetrical with respect to the center line ofthe neck shell. The depending side flanges of the cap 0 practicallyconceal the shoulder D3 in the neck shell. When the dispensing openingsare to be brought into alignment the finger is applied directly to theleft end of the cap 0 as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, and it is moved tothe right, the beads c sliding in the grooves b4. Since the end flangec3 clears the shoulder b3 movement of the cap is not interrupted by theneck shell until the end flange comes into direct engagement with theshouldered segment. In this relationship, it will be found that theopening cl in the cap is in alignment with the opening b' in the neckshell as is desired.

The improved construction accomplishes the important purpose of reducingthe over-all length of the slide while permitting the use of largedispensing openings. 'It will be apparent that if the neck shell werenot provided with the shoulder b3 but were formed symmetrically thenecessary range of movement of the sliding cap 0 could be accomplishedonly by extending the cap 0 for a distance equal at least to the lengthof the horizontal portion of the shoulder 273. Because of this shoulderwhich the depending flange c3 clears in its movement the necessaryamplitude of movement for the sliding cap is afforded without thenecessity of extending it beyond the side wall of the neck shell for adistance equal to the amplitude of movement.

When the dispensing openings are in alignment the powder is dischargedby inverting the container. Because of the reduced cross section of thedispensing end of the neck shell the tendency for powder to clog thereinis reduced and because of the presence of the deflecting baffleconstituted by the shoulder b3 the direction of flow of the powder tothe dispensing opening is constantly changed thereby breaking up thetendency to lump and assure a freer flow.

In order to close the openings the finger is applied to the dependingflange 03 at the right end of the cap and it is slid to the left untilthis flange engages the exterior of the neck shell thereby constitutinga positive stop.

A further distinctive advantage of the con-' struction is the convenientone hand operation which is afforded. While many known closures purportto permit convenient operation with one hand few of them do sopractically. In the improved construction the sliding cap 0 presentssurfaces of large superficial area on the depending flanges 03 so thatready engagement of the thumb or forefinger is permitted when thecontainer is held in one hand. Pressure of the thumb or finger on thesliding cap is exerted laterally and the cap is moved by a direct push.It is unnecessary to provide any special finger pieces or corrugatedsurfaces since pressure is exerted directly on the cap and in the lineof its movement.

The same advantages are obtained by the improved construction when thedispensing openings are of multiple number as shown in Figure 6 in thatsuch openings may be of relatively large area and relatively numerousthereby requiring a relatively long movement of the sliding cap. Despitethe actual' amplitude of movement of the cap it need not be of extendedlength because of the provision of the shouldered neck shell.

In Figure '7 the parts are essentially of the same construction andrelationship except that the dispensing opening in the neck shell B iscentrally disposed on the axis thereof. In this embodiment thedispensing opening C4 in the sliding cap C is normally disposed to oneside of the center axis when the openings are out of registry. Movementof the sliding cap in the manner hereinbefore described will bring theopenings into registry.

In Figure '7 the depending flange C3 at the right end of the cap may bereversely bent as indicated at C to form a yielding stop engageable withthe exterior wall of the neck shell to limit the movement of parts aswill be apparent. This construction also provides true symmetry of thecap with relation to the base of the neck shell and brings the endflanges thereof in the same corresponding positions with respect to thebeading at the base of the neck shell.

The invention is not to be limited in its application to the preciseform and relative dimensions of the parts as illustrated herein but itstrue scope is defined by the claims attached hereto.

I claim:

l. A closure for containers having a neck shell formed with a shoulderadjacent its dispensing end and a slide valve mounted movably on theneck shell, a portion of the slide valve being movable over the shoulderin one direction of travel.

2. In a closure for containers, a neck shell having a segmentalshouldered portion adjacent the dispensing end and a dispensing openingin the end wall, a cap engaged slidably with the neck shell and having adispensing opening, said cap having a portion movable over the shoulder.in one direction of travel.

3. In a closure for containers, a neck shell have ing a shoulderedportion adjacent its dispensing end and a dispensing opening in the endwall, a cap mounted on the neck shell in movable engagement therewithand having a dispensing opening movable into and out of registry withthe first named opening and a limit stop carried with the cap andmovable over the shoulder into engagement with the neck shell in onedirection of travel.

4. In a closure for containers, a neck shell having a shouldered portionadjacent its dispensing end and a dispensing opening in the end wall, acap mounted on the neck shell in movableengagement therewith and havinga dispensing opening movable into and out of registry with the firstnamed opening and a limit stop carried with the cap and movable over theshoulder into engagement with the neck shell in one direction of travel,and a second limit stop carried by the cap movable into engagement withthe neck shell in the other direction of travel.

5. A closure for containers having a neck shell shouldered adjacent itsdispensing end, a cap mounted on the neck shell and formed with a skirtenclosing the end of the neck shell, and means carried by the skirt toengage the neck shell to secure the cap movably thereon.

RALPH W. WILSON.

